Scientists have found an efficient and inexpensive method for producing hydrogen peroxide, the chemical that has uses ranging from environmental, surgical and oral disinfection to propellant in rocketry.   

Hydrogen peroxide with its chemical formula H₂O₂ with its wide variety of utilities including medical, cosmetic, water treatment, industrial and house-hold products became an essential component for sanitizers during the recent pandemic.

However, there is need for efficient and inexpensive H₂O₂ production as the present industrial process for the synthesis of H₂O₂ involves an energy-intensive reaction via anthraquinone oxidation/reduction, and requires complex and large-scale infrastructure.

An alternate electrochemical route to generate H₂O₂ proceeds through oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in two electron pathway which requires a suitable catalyst. Recently, researchers from Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) an autonomous research institute under Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India have shown that a chemical called Nickel cobalt phosphite (NiCo-Phi) decorated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can facilitate ORR to produce H₂O₂ selectively in high yield. The CeNS team demonstrated the bifunctional catalytic nature of NiCo-Phi/CNTs composite for both oxygen evolution (OER) and oxygen reduction reactions. The paper was published in the journal ChemElectroChem.

CeNS team consisting of C. Sathiskumar, C. Alex & Neena S John synthesized the composite by employing a simple, single-step hydrothermal method. According to the researchers transition metal salts of phosphorous oxyacids are considered attractive for electrocatalytic applications due to their earth abundance, low cost, environmentally benign nature and high efficiency. The predominant formation of H₂O₂ occurs mainly through a two-electron transfer process, as established by experimental observations and has not been observed previously in these phosphorous oxy anion-based materials.

The authors further claim that “Generally most of the transition metal phosphorus oxy compounds follow O₂ reduction by 4 electron process with OH^- formation, instead of H₂O₂ while here, we are able to tune the O₂ reduction for H₂O₂ production and has huge significance in the present scenario”.

Publication link : https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202000176

For more details Dr. Neena Susan John (jsneena[at]cens[dot]res[dot]in) can be contacted.